Power Service Shops provide in-house maintenance, repair to TVA plants

MUSCLE SHOALS — Stepping into TVA’s Power Service Shops is like peering inside a highly calibrated machine.

Here, a steady rumble of machinery and rhythmic humming of cranes is punctuated by sharp clangs of wrenches against metal. Grease permeates the air as yellow beams cross overhead.

Equipment from various TVA plants is situated across the floor, some weighing 200,000 pounds.

Parts arrive by trucks, trains or barges, each piece telling a story – a nuclear rotor from Browns Ferry, a stub shaft from Kingston Fossil Plant.

Welders donning masks light their torches. Safety and quality control inspectors watch with keen eyes.

Above, a sign reads, “The next person to inspect this part will be your customer.”

“Our people take pride in working here and you can see that in the results,” Corey Saint, TVA Power Service Shops general manager, said.

Opened in 1951, the TVA Power Service Shops provides a competitive advantage through in-house maintenance and repair. And the services of the 300 employees and apprentices who work in the Muscle Shoals facility are in high demand.

Aiming to expand its energy system to meet the growing needs of the Tennessee Valley region during a time of continued supply chain challenges, TVA is looking inward. It’s investing $39.9 million to expand the Power Service Shops and is also working to attract skilled tradespeople.

Along with the work they perform in the shop, technicians spring to action, mobilizing in as little as 12 hours when unexpected outages happen.

This mobility is a big benefit, saving TVA more than 300,000 megawatt hours annually.

“We’re TVA’s emergency room,” Saint said. “We deploy to fix components out in the field or take field components back to the shop. We get those units back in service and megawatts back on the grid.”

Equipped with advanced tools like laser-guided scanners, 3D printers and water jet cutters, there’s no limit to what can be fabricated or repaired.

But the secret behind the Power Service Shops is not equipment. The safety culture and quality performed by its people sets the shops apart.

“There’s nothing like the practical hands-on experience of a highly skilled workforce. We’re blessed with the people we have,” Saint said.

Among them is Gerald Wayne Davis, a mechanical quality assurance foreman.

The label on his jacket may read foreman, but in his eyes, he is only one part of an eight-member team striving toward a shared objective.

“I work with a very talented group,” Davis said. “We help one another. Sure, I give them some direction, but they’re so good at what they do. It makes my job a pleasure.”

Every shift starts with a pre-job briefing, where outgoing and incoming teams gather to discuss accomplishments and outline tasks ahead.

These welders, machinists, electricians and other skilled craftspeople restore equipment vital to TVA’s energy operations. They’re an empowered workforce that gets the job done safely and done right the first time.

“The culture and the trust that’s in place is what sets us apart,” Saint said. “We are one. It’s one voice, one team, working together.”

TVA’s mission resonates throughout the Muscle Shoals community.

As a major employer and local economic engine, the shops support community initiatives like Rescue Me Project, aimed at developing talent in underprivileged youth by promoting trade careers. This helps TVA play a valued role in the community while also attracting a new generation of workers.

“It lets our community know we’re here,” said Kelly McCormack, a program manager in nuclear assurance in the Power Service Shops. “TVA’s mission is not just for its employees, but for all the Valley region.”

By the time she entered Muscle Shoals High School, McCormack knew she wanted to build a lifelong career at the agency.

Now, after working 37 years with TVA, she is excited about what’s next for her and her colleagues at the Power Service Shops.

“We’re a big family,” McCormack said. “We strive to do our best every day and keep the plants running safely. We’re here, ready to help at a moment’s notice.”

This family is about to get even bigger.

While the shops have evolved and adapted through the years to meet the power industry’s changing needs, the $39.9 million investment will accelerate the team’s efforts.

“The things we do today affect us tomorrow,” Saint said. “Our success at the Power Service Shops today was staged decades ago. And with these investments, someone 20 years in the future can continue developing our Power Service Shops, growing TVA and delivering that competitive advantage.”

A landmark part of the expansion is the Pietro-Carnaghi vertical turning lathe, expected to be operational by 2025.

This lathe allows for increased turning capacity to handle large components such as hydro headcovers, shift rings and thrust bridges. Their maximum swing will extend from 11.5 feet to 32 feet.

These big components are essential for extending the life of many generating assets, including TVA’s hydroelectric assets, many of which are iconic marvels that first electrified the Valley.

With the new equipment, the Power Service Shops will be able to work on mammoth parts that TVA currently has to source from outside vendors. Taking these projects in-house will ultimately save TVA time and money through risk reduction and ensure quality.

Another element of the investment includes bringing in new technology in partnership with TVA’s Innovation and Research organization that will test hybrid manufacturing equipment to reduce machine set up and run time for component repairs.

“We’ve been very excited to see this new technology in our shop,” Saint said.

Armed with a robust and skilled workforce, a supportive culture and new equipment on the way, the future holds boundless potential.

“We are a ‘do all’ organization,” Davis said. “Give us a shot at something new because there’s nothing we can’t do.”